Gold medals rain for Indian boxers in World Championships as Lovlina Borgohain clinches maiden top prize

Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain wins her maiden gold medal in the ongoing 2023 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship in New Delhi on Sunday. She defeated Australia’s Caitlin Anne Parker 5-2 in the 75 kg category to add another medal to her tally of two bronze medals.

With this win, Lovlina has become the eighth Indian boxer to win the top prize in this competition, and fourth this time – making it India’s joint-most successful Worlds campaign after the 2006 edition that also happened in New Delhi.

Lovlina began the bout cautiously but received some punches in the first minute. Though she looked under pressure early on, she released all the tension with some uppercuts to Parker before the round ended. Lovlina, who moved up weight categories just last year, suffered the same fate in the second round. Both boxers continued smashing uppercuts, with the Australian winning the second 4-1.

In the tight gold medal contest, both looked reserved while beginning the final round as Parker unleashed the attack on her opponent. Lovlina didn’t let her guard down and presented a counterattack to put the Australian on the back foot. As close as it appeared to be, both were on each other’s top before the match went to a bout review and by split decision, Lovlina was declared the winner.

Earlier on Sunday, Nikhat Zareen claimed her successive gold medal win in the 2023 World Championship, beating Nguyen Thi Tam 5-0 in the lightweight category.

Meanwhile, a day before on Saturday, Indian pugilists Nitu Ghanghas (48kg) and Saweety Boora (81kg) had also claimed gold medal wins in their respective categories.

The second win on Sunday saw the Indian boxers head home with four gold medals. Lovlina has now become the eighth boxer from the country to have the top prize besides her name. The others include Mary Kom (2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2018), Sarita Devi (2006), Jenny RL (2006), Lekha KC (2006), Nikhat Zareen (2022, 2023), Saweety Boora (2023), and Nitu Ghanghas (2023).